Dennis Whitman and Medford Wrestling
By Brian Jerzak
In wrestling, whether you are three deep at every weight or starting duals behind 18-0 every night because you can't fill every weight class, Jimmys and Joes will always be more important than Xs and O's. The head coach can be the best tactician in the country, but if he doesn't have the bodies in the wrestling room, he will not have much success.
Many small schools have dealt with this problem by combining with other programs in their area also struggling with numbers. The thought is – one solid program is better than two programs that might be in danger of being cut every year.
Medford head wrestling coach Dennis Whitman does not subscribe to that theory, not for the Medford wrestling program.
"I think I can speak on behalf of my athletic director and my assistant coaches – that is not a road we will go down," Whitman said. "As long as I am the head coach here – if I have five bodies that I can go out and wrestle with every weekend - we are going to be on our own."
Before taking over the Medford wrestling program, Whitman started his wrestling career in North Dakota.